


Ten Strikes

by BackseatGaffer



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-01-16 01:58:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21263234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BackseatGaffer/pseuds/BackseatGaffer
Summary: Ten persons, with one thing in common, targeted for that reason. Who will be eliminated, and can the authorities take down the band of avengers before the last execution is completed?





	1. Devil Or Angel

Servando Carrasco and Dom Dwyer were leaving Dignity Health Sports Park following the LA Galaxy's season-opening 2-1 win over Orlando City SC. As the pair walked past some well-wishing fans, someone came up behind them and directed them toward a secluded portion of the parking lot. Once out of sight, the two soccer players turned around and faced their abductor. He was clothed in a black leather jacket, black jeans, Doc Martens, with a mask over his face and gloves on his hands. In his right hand was a Glock 9mm, pointed at the men.

Gunman: There is no reason for the two of you to be afraid of me, really. I just have a few questions. If you give good answers, there will be no harm done. Problem is, I don't think you can offer ones that will satisfy me.

Servando reached into his pockets and pulled out his wallet and keys. "Take these, just let us go free."

Gunman: I don't want your money or car. I just want a few answers. Dom, you can watch for now but don't get any ideas about escaping. I'll come back to you in a bit. Now, Serv.......first question I have is why do you think you deserve Alex?

Servando: Why do I deserve her? I deserve her the same way any man deserves the love and fidelity of a woman. I treat her well, I support her career, and she finds in me someone who can understand the life of a professional athlete.

Gunman: Sorry, but that doesn't cut it. You MOOCH off her career to help yourself, you TRAP her from being able to live as she might want, and you are nowhere NEAR the right complement to her. You're too unknown to qualify the two of you as a celebrity romance and just enough in the system to not be a John Q. Public that she could have come to find outside the Cal Bear bubble.

A bullet was sent into Servando's left knee, forcing him to the ground.

Gunman: Question Two. Why did you defile such an American treasure with your seed?

Servando: Getting my wife pregnant is NOT defiling her! We wanted a child and so went about making one.

Deeming his answer poor, the gunman aimed his weapon at Servando's crotch and unleashed a shot.

Gunman: Now, the biggie. Why should I let you walk away and head home to Alex?

Servando: I clearly don't have an answer for that other than you would get off a lot lighter by letting me live than by killing me.

Pondering the man's answer for a few seconds, the perpetrator seemed willing to walk away and leave the now-broken Galaxy midfielder with the two damaging wounds but his life intact. When reality and the purpose of this visit returned to his mind, he went ahead and did what he had come to do.

Gunman: I may not have been able to save my own sister from being suffocated by a less-than-deserving man, but I can save Jeni's from a similar fate.

As Servando crawled toward the shooter, a bullet was sent into his head.

Gunman: As for you, Dom, your wife is SUCH the carpetbagger, turning her back on millions of people who would have loved, supported, and possibly worshiped her to take the BIG BUCKS and LIMELIGHT of being connected to US Soccer. She never would have given a decent member of the populace a CHANCE of connecting with her, so YOU ended up winning that "prize". You've seen too much, you know too much, and for that, I have to do this.

Dom's flesh was pierced by two bullets, one to his abdomen and the other to his thigh. Making sure the coast was relatively clear, the gunman walked toward his rental car, then got in and drove away from the stadium on his way to John Wayne Airport to fly back to the Midwest and his home.

**********

Alex Morgan: Where can Serv be? The game ended four hours ago.

Jeni Morgan: Probably out with Dom and they've lost track of time.

Alex: I hope so. Usually he'll text if something like that happens, but nothing incoming from him and I haven't gotten a response to any of my messages to him.

A knock came to the door of Alex and Servando's house. Jeni went to answer it and was greeted by two members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. They entered the home and squared themselves to Alex.

Deputy One: Are you Alex Morgan Carrasco?

Alex: Yes. Is there something wrong?

Deputy One: We regret to inform you that your husband was shot and killed at Dignity Health Sports Park earlier this evening.

Alex ran to her sister and crumbled in her arms.

Deputy Two: Take your time, ma'am. When you're ready, we have a few questions to ask that hopefully will point us to the person who committed this crime.

Alex and Jeni went to the couch and sat down, with the two deputies seated near them.

Deputy One: From the account of the person we found with your husband, the shooter seemed to know a lot about you and him. He didn't want money, but to find out why he thought he was deserving of you and defiled you by getting you pregnant.

Alex: A lot of people who claim to be fans of women's soccer believe I shouldn't be with Servando, that I deserve someone with a lot more fame, fortune, athletic credibility. Do you think one of them might have done this?

Deputy One: That's where it gets weird, because the recollection we got from, um, Mr. Dwyer was that this was sort of personal. Before pulling the trigger on the killshot, the suspect said, "I may not have been able to save my own sister from being suffocated by a less-than-deserving man, but I can save Jeni's from a similar fate."

Alex: Which would be referring to me.

Jeni bit her lip slightly, as that acknowledgment might bring her under suspicion. Thinking she should clear the air as a means of blocking additional questioning, she told the deputies that she was the person mentioned in the suspect's declaration.

Deputy Two: Have you been in contact with anyone who you believe might have wanted to see Servando dead?

Jeni: Not to my knowledge. That statement, it's confusing, because it seems to indicate that the shooter has a sister who is similar to Alex and, though he wasn't able to get her away from a man of Servando's ilk, he felt the need to get his revenge for that by killing my brother-in-law.

Deputy One: This is going to be a somewhat difficult case to close, because the random ravings don't point at the shooting being a straight-on hit, but it's too clean to have been done by someone who "snapped".

Alex: Please keep me posted with whatever you might find. I hope whoever did this gets the help he needs, because it sounds like the man has some issues.

Deputy One: We'll update you when we have a better idea of how we plan to continue the investigation.

The deputies stood up along with Alex and Jeni and were shown out by the Morgan sisters. Returning to the couch, the two women consoled each other. Jeni was very quiet, as she had a fairly good idea of who executed Servando given the statement and her back-and-forth conversations with the man by way of a women's soccer fan forum. Both parties wanted to see Alex be freed from her less-than-worthy husband, but hadn't communicated with each other for a few weeks and thus she was unsure if he had gone ahead and come to LA to perform the task.


	2. Rush To Judgment

One shot. That's all it would take, and all that Robert Driscoll would have. Over the past several weeks, he had become quite familiar with the daily routine of his target, such that he began planning out how to exterminate the man undetected. A long-barreled rifle was laying just underneath the front window of his third-floor apartment, at the ready when the time came for the execution to occur. Driscoll waited until the wife of his chosen victim had left the country for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to drop the curtain on the woman's husband. Just past 10am on July 16th, Driscoll saw his target walking toward the corner coffee shop, as he did most every morning. Knowing that he would be returning approximately 30 minutes later, Driscoll set himself up by the window, with his rifle barely peeking out under the screen. As he waited, he tested the scope to hone in on the spot where he planned to aim his weapon and discharge it. Precisely 27 minutes after walking east to the coffee shop, the man in question came walking back west. Once he had passed Driscoll's window, the shooter focused the scope and pulled the trigger, bringing Fabrice Gautret's life to an end via a single gunshot wound behind his left ear.

**********

Jay Halstead: First, my deepest condolences on the death of Fabrice. Also, thank you for making such a quick return to the States after hearing the news. It will hopefully help in us tracking down his killer.

Morgan Brian: Thank you, Officer Halstead.

Hailey Upton: Based on the evidence, or lack thereof, this looks to have been well-executed by the perpetrator. No bullet casings on the ground, no one was in sight according to potential witnesses, and no one was able to make much of a description of any "unknown" characters around the neighborhood in the days prior to your husband's killing. Did you have trouble with persons who frequent this area?

Morgan: No trouble, per se. There was one person who we seemed to see quite a lot on our walks to and from the coffee shop. Middle-aged, a little scraggly, always had a sweet smile for me but seemed put-off by Fabrice. Couldn't tell you his name or where he lived, just that we crossed paths with him a fair bit.

Jay: We can ask around the neighborhood about him, see if any of the proprietors know him or have had chance to converse with him on some occasion. In the mean time, we'd like you to think back to ANYTHING else you might remember about this "person of interest".

Morgan: Again, nothing out-of-the-ordinary. Just seemed a little bit "off", like he'd look at you a little longer than what would feel comfortable, and how he seemed to deem Fabrice to be lower than pond scum really got on my nerves.

Jay: We'll keep you posted if something comes of our canvassing and if an arrest is made.

Morgan: Thank you, officers.

Morgan left the Lincoln Park police station and walked back to her now-empty apartment, where she would begin making sense of what happened while she was in Japan.

**********

Officers Halstead and Upton strolled North Avenue, stopping into many of the shops and stores which lined it. As the south edge of the Lincoln Park neighborhood, there was a known transient population which could be found along it, drifting both west and north from less-fashionable areas of Chicago. The owner of a record store was able to give the officers a slight lead, mentioning a man named Bob who came in now and again to peek through the vinyl offerings for sale. They were told he lived somewhere along the street, which led to them going back to the police station to revisit the evidence and try to determine where exactly the shot was taken.

Having pulled up the police report and seen what the projections of distance and angle of entry were for the shot, Hailey and Jay were able to pin down three possible places where the shooter might have been located (a third-floor apartment mid-block, the roof of a building on the eastern corner of the block, and a second-story perch near the western corner). More neighborhood canvassing and investigation reduced the options to just one, the third-floor apartment. After securing a search warrant for the apartment, the plan was to visit the occupant the next morning and, hopefully, find the right evidence to arrest him for the murder.

**********

The search of Bob Driscoll's apartment turned up the long-barreled rifle used in shooting Fabrice Gautret, the bullet casing from the shot, residue on the window sill consistent with it being used as a ledge for the execution, along with a shrine to female athletes and a hastily-jotted list of names next to his laptop, with two of them crossed out.

During the questioning of Driscoll, Officer Upton noticed a distinctly negative vibe coming off him toward Officer Halstead, almost dismissive. Driscoll's answers to their questions pointed toward a belief that Fabrice was exercising mind control on Morgan to "keep her" and that it was his duty as "John Q. Public" to eliminate him so she would be free to find a better partner.

Driscoll was arraigned two days later, at which time he offered a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. A competency interview was held with the state attorney's office's resident psychologist, which determined that the man would be unable to stand trial at the present time due to the delusions of his justification for killing Gautret. The state's attorney pled out the case, ordering confinement in a psychiatric facility for a period of no less than five years, or until Driscoll was deemed no longer a threat to the community and in full capacity of his mental state.

**********

When Officer Upton boxed up the contents of State v. Driscoll, she read over the presumed hit list found in the defendant's apartment. Of the eight names left, there was an NFL player, an NBA player, a Major League Baseball player, two members of the 2015 Women's World Cup champion team from the United States, and three "unknowns". Believing that they had gotten the hit man and thus no harm would come to those remaining on the list, it was placed back in the box and sealed. Little did she or the Chicago Police Department realize that others were involved and that another hit would happen in a matter of two months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who's next, and what do the victims have in common? Comment your guesses or suppositions.


	3. No Winners Here

The Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans faced off at FedExForum in their teams' 2020/2021 NBA preseason opener, renewing a rivalry born of relocation and geographic proximity. The home team fell behind 51-40 with two minutes remaining in the second quarter and Taylor Jenkins, the Grizzlies' head coach, sent reserve guard Grayson Allen onto the floor, hoping his three-point shooting could help close the gap before halftime. Jrue Holiday, the Pelicans' best back-court defender, was able to throw off Allen on his first two long-range attempts, which led some boo birds in the crowd to let loose with their disdain for the third-year pro from Duke University. As the teams went toward their locker rooms at halftime, one of the patrons leaned over the railing and began verbally castigating Allen, with insults about his manhood, his basketball ability compared to his girlfriend, Orlando Pride defender Morgan Reid, and his character. Attempting to tune it out, Allen kept his head down and chatted with teammate Ja Morant.

**********

Following the game, a 117-103 win for New Orleans, Grayson asked Jrue if they could get together after their press duties for a drink, as the younger man needed some advice on how to handle the heckling and negativity he got from fans around the league and because the calling-out he got that night shook him a bit. When the players separated to go to their locker rooms, a voice still in the stands shouted a verbal stab at the men and the perceived intelligence of their partners, something which Jrue had gotten used to hearing during his time in the NBA. Once their team-related duties were completed and they each had changed into civilian clothes, the pair met up at a bar near the arena.

Grayson: You've been in the league for a while now and with Lauren for a decade or so, right? How do you deal with people who constantly rail on you for not being as good as her or as popular, or how unfair it is that you have her?

Jrue: We've taken the stance that we know what is true about our relationship and what is real, and just dismiss all the allegations that are far-fetched or illogical.

Grayson: Like you being good cover for her to fool around with her club or national team teammates while apart?

Jrue: That, or how I forced her into retirement because I didn't trust her to stay with me after the US won the World Cup in 2015, believing she had fallen for Amy Rodriguez and would drop me for her after that NWSL season ended.

Grayson: A lot of what I've experienced since entering the NBA is similar to what you saw and heard tonight. No one knows the whole story of how Morgan and I crossed paths and ultimately got together, so they presume I'm a waste of humanity because she is smart as a whip and, well, I'm not.

Jrue: You also have a reputation from Duke that precedes you, that you're at times a bit too competitive for your own good and take cheap shots at opponents.

Grayson: True. Did you get family push-back when you and Lauren started dating?

Jrue: Her parents were great, as was her sister. Her brother, however, made it well-known that he considered Lauren too smart and too good an individual to have to settle for someone in the athletic bubble. We haven't seen much of him in the past few years, just because it stirs up old wounds. You?

Grayson: Morgan's family seems OK with it, but that's because both of her parents are former college athletes and have a reasonable understanding of how things work in the college setting, that it's just easier to connect with another member of the athletic department than it is to search out a member of the general student body.

Jrue: Worried someone might take their heckling too far and choose to confront you?

Grayson: A little, but I'm more worried about being egged-on and then losing control myself, thereby reinforcing the reputation I have for being thin-skinned and petulant.

Jrue: Remember, the only people who really know what's true about you and Morgan are you and her, and the rest can f*** off.

**********

A three-game road trip got Grayson away from the hometown hecklers, where he was able to just play without feeling on edge. He was held out of the Grizzlies' game against the Chicago Bulls due to a tender ankle, but was back on the floor two days later when Orlando came to town. A small corner of FedExForum cheered non-stop for the Magic and constantly booed Grayson whenever he would touch the ball. Another halftime shouting match ensued, with the Memphis guard returning fire and challenging the author of said words to meet him after the game "to settle this like a man and not a mama's boy."

**********

Outside the players' entrance to FedExForum, Michael Bridges waited for his target to exit amidst a group of autograph seekers. Grayson Allen approached the group and began placing his John Hancock on memorabilia as he walked toward his car. Michael tailed Grayson and threw another barb at him, which caused him to turn around and engage with the man.

Grayson: I do NOT know what you have against me, so please tell me or leave me the f*** alone.

Michael: There is a LOT I have against you, not the least of which that you're a hack of a basketball player. Coach K should have never brought you to Durham, and there is no way in Hell you deserve to be playing in the NBA.

Grayson: Well, someone thinks I'm worth the money they're paying, because here I am.

Michael: Does Morgan know how much you slept around at Duke and how you possibly left two members of the cheerleading squad with unexpected presents?

Morgan Reid came around the corner and caught the last portion of Michael's comment.

Grayson: I did NOT knock up any cheerleaders, not then and certainly not now.

Michael: You clearly aren't man enough to match wits with a dime such as Morgan, so what do you have over her? Money? Her fear of athletic irrelevance? A big howitzer?

Grayson, having heard more than he cared from this jabroni, walked over to him and took a swing which connected with Michael's jaw. As he was kneeling, Michael reached into his sock and pulled out a switchblade. While getting to his feet, he stepped toward Grayson, inserting the weapon into his abdomen, then swiftly moving to his right and upward, opening a massive gash and nicking some of the players' internal organs. Grayson fell forward and collapsed.

Michael (to Morgan): You're free.

Morgan: What do you mean, I'm free?! You just killed the man I loved and wanted to spend my life with.

Michael: You're free to find someone better, a normal man who can emotionally support your goals, dreams, aspirations.

Morgan: Maybe that's not what I want. Maybe I want someone who can give me a comfortable life and who has a bit of public notoriety, so that I can continue to play in the NWSL without worrying about making ends meet.

Michael: So you're one of those, then? Believe the average man isn't good enough for you?

Morgan, getting a little bit nervous at the way Grayson's assailant turned on her, started to walk toward the main street outside the arena, but was intercepted by Michael, who placed his blade against her throat. She reached into her purse and fished out a small handgun, then broke away and pointed it at him.

Morgan: Yes, I'm one of those. I want to be cared for like Cheney and JJ, to have a Jrue or Zach who makes more in a year than I could HOPE to earn over the span of my professional career.

Now enraged, Michael lunged at Morgan and was met by a shot to the head. She walked over to him and stood over the man should another strike be necessary to end this stand-off. Just before blacking out, Michael said to Morgan, "They could be next."

The police and emergency medical personnel showed up about ten minutes later and pronounced both men dead. Morgan was taken to a local station, where her account of the evening was recorded. No charges were filed against her, as she acted in self-defense. With this case wrapping up neatly, the police report was filed and the officers went back out on patrol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three down. Where does the next assassin show up, and who is he planning to get?


	4. Death On A Sunday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victims four and five.

Miss Heather Maureen Morgan  
requests the honor or your presence  
at the marriage of her mother  
Alexandra to David Matheson  
at the Maxwell House  
55 South Grand Avenue, Pasadena, CA  
on Sunday, February 14, 2021  
at four o'clock, with reception to follow

**********

The ceremony which united Alex Morgan and her new husband was intimate and love-driven, after which the guests in attendance moved over to the main ballroom for the reception. Inside, Tobin Heath and her partner, Christen Press, were at the bar with Julie Ertz, who was fidgeting a little bit about her husband, Zach, having not yet arrived from the airport. In another part of the room, Lauren Holiday and her brother, Aaron Cheney, were speaking with Sydney and Dom Dwyer.

Lauren: Are the two of you planning on a third, or will Cassius and Roux be it?

Syd: I don't know. I'd like to stay playing through this cycle and another maternity leave would probably end that from happening. What about you and Jrue?

Lauren: It's not off the table, but we haven't talked about giving JT a brother or sister recently.

Dom: Too bad the Pelicans are on an east-coast swing this week. I was looking forward to seeing him today.

Lauren: It's part of the job, you know that. At least Aaron was free so I wouldn't have to come out here alone for Alex's wedding.

Aaron looked around the room and caught eyes with Jeni Morgan. He gave her a slight nod, which she returned. Returning his focus to the Dwyers, he informed them of his latest novel, one which followed a corporate middle manager's pursuit of terrorizing and humiliating those he considered obstacles in his efforts to move up the social and employment ladder. The Cheney siblings took their leave, which caused Dom to yank Syd away for a private conversation.

Dom: I might be wrong, but I SWEAR Aaron was the person who shot Servando and I. That voice of his, it's unmistakable, and I saw how he looked over at Alex's sister, as though they knew one another.

Syd: You think Cheney's brother performed the hit on Serv?! That's pretty far-fetched.

At the bar, Tobin was working on her second Cosmo when she began breathing erratically, then stepped away and fell, convulsing on the ground. Christen knelt down next to her and yelled out to those gathered nearby, "Does anyone have an EpiPen on them? Tobin's having a reaction to something she ate."

Jeni called 911 and reported that Tobin was in anaphylaxsis. Around 15 minutes later, a paramedic unit made it to the Maxwell House and began emergency measures on the Portland Thorn midfielder, but were unable to relieve the reaction. She went into cardiac arrest and couldn't be revived. Christen was consoled by Julie, while Lauren and Morgan Brian went into another part of the building to comfort each other. Aaron, knowing his sister needed some space, took a seat in the hallway, where he was joined by Jeni.

Jeni: That was...something. Never thought one of my sister's bridesmaids would die at her wedding.

Aaron: Weird. She's fine, then all of a sudden not.

Jeni: Christen said she was having a reaction and wanted an EpiPen. Did Tobin have any known allergens?

Aaron: Seafood, which I didn't see any of around the bar or on the tables.

Jeni left Aaron and went to check out the bar area, wondering if something could have accidentally been mixed into Tobin's drink. She saw a bottle of clam juice sitting next to one of lime juice, leading her to believe it was possible the bartender grabbed the wrong bottle.

**********

Detectives Sam Bryant and Ben Sherman of the LA Police Department arrived at Maxwell House and identified themselves to Jeni. She led them to Christen, who was still with Julie, and they sat down and questioned her about the scene and what happened.

Christen: Tobin had just taken a sip from her drink when she told me that she wasn't feeling so good, then stepped away from the bar and fell down. I saw her having trouble breathing and told those around us that she was having a reaction and we needed an EpiPen stat. I tried keeping her calm while Lauren began CPR on her, to make sure she was getting sufficient air and her heart would stay pumping until the paramedics arrived.

Sam Bryant: So you, and I presume Lauren as well, knew she had a food allergy.

Christen: Yes, to seafood, which would include products with it included, such as Worcestershire Sauce.

Sam: We're going to need to have her glass tested, as well as anything else that might have come in contact with it.

Detective Sherman's phone buzzed. He excused himself and stepped away to answer it. After a couple of minutes of discussion with the person on the other end, he returned to his partner and the two women.

Ben Sherman: Do you know where I can find Julie Ertz?

Julie: I am she.

Ben: I just got a call from one of the officers from our station. Your husband was in a car accident earlier today. I'm sorry to say that he did not survive it, dying on the way to the hospital.

Julie began crying, then leaned against Christen and bawled.

Ben: Based on what I was told, he went off Route 110 and down into Debs Regional Park. There were tire tracks leading away from that stretch of freeway heading north as well as ones from the road to the place where his car went off it. It will take a couple of days to investigate the scene, but their preliminary thoughts indicate foul play.

Julie: Who would want to get Zach? He's one of the nicest men I've ever known, so charitable and willing to help anyone in need.

Ben: That's what we're planning to find out, if we can.

Detective Bryant got up and collected evidence from the scene (Tobin's glass, the cocktail shaker used, a few open bottles) to take to the lab for testing. He informed Christen that a formal autopsy (including toxicology report) would be performed to determine the exact cause of death. With that, the two detectives left Maxwell House and returned to their station.

**********

The reception went on despite the pall in the air. Alex and David did a first dance to the muted applause of those gathered. For most of the evening, Alex and Heather worked the room, chatting with their guests (well, Alex chatted; Heather just got passed around to everyone). Aaron and David spent some time swapping stories of life in the arts (David is the curator of the Hollywood Bowl Museum and a classically-trained French Horn player) as well as their brushes with fame (David's second cousin is former Canadian national team star Diana Matheson). The party broke up around 10pm, with everyone heading home or to their hotels for the evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Five are in the ground. Who's next? Does anyone connect the deaths to one another?


	5. Dragging The Swamp

Toxicology reports from Tobin Heath's autopsy found clam juice in her system, which was also found in her glass and the cocktail shaker seized from the wedding reception. The LA District Attorney's Office deemed the death accidental and thus did not seek further investigation into the wherefores and whys of the bartender's mistaking clam juice for lime juice.

The investigation into Zach Ertz's demise yielded very few clues that would allow for police to track down the vehicle and/or driver who seemed to deliberately send the former Philadelphia Eagle off the road. Just before the files for both cases were sent to archives, Detective Bryant received a call from a colleague in the Chicago Police Department.

Jay Halstead: I saw that a couple of high-profile members of the sports world died mysteriously last week in your jurisdiction.

Sam Bryant: Yes. One was deemed a tragic accident of two bottles of juice being mixed-up, triggering an allergic reaction which caused the decedent to become anaphylactic and ultimately resulting in cardiac arrest, while the other has no solid lead on who might have been involved to cause the driver's death.

Jay: As you might know, we had a death in Chicago back in July involving the spouse of a member of the US Women's National Team. Upon our investigation and execution of a search warrant, we found a "hit list" of ten individuals lying beside the defendant's computer. I went back to the files of that case, and both of your victims were on that list. Would you be willing to send me what you have on your two cases so we can possibly get some answers that might bring this possible serial killing to an end?

Sam: Any help we can provide, or you can provide us, to bring the perpetrators to justice would be most appreciated. I'll send over the police reports as well as interviews done both that night and the following couple of days.

Officer Halstead ended his call with Detective Bryant and turned to his partner, Hailey Upton, filling her in on what was discussed.

Jay: We had that list after arresting Robert Driscoll and thought nothing would come of it. Now, five of the ten on it are dead when at that time only two had been killed. I think we need to pay Mr. Driscoll a visit and get some details about it and where the next strike might come.

**********

Officers Halstead and Upton had driven up to the Elgin Mental Health Center to meet with Robert Driscoll. After being shown into a private conference room, Jay began inquiring about the list.

Jay: Since your commitment here, three more people on your "hit list" have died. Whereas we didn't believe there was any cause for concern once you had been put away, we have now come to determine that perhaps you were telling the truth about the list and who was being targeted. Can you tell us how, with you here and seemingly having no access to the outside world, these past three victims would have come to such horrific endings and who might be leading the serial killing in your absence?

Bob Driscoll: Go to hell! You didn't believe me when I told you that those people on the list had something in common and Fabrice's shooting was just the start of a war against that group of individuals.

Hailey Upton: Robert, we need your help.

Bob: Fat chance of getting it! I'm locked up here for at least five years and have it pretty good. Three meals a day, a private room, recreation, no bills piling up. You can't offer me anything that could cause me to want to turn evidence on those moving this forward.

Jay: You COULD be charged as an accessory if it is determined that your rantings or communications before arrest led to the deaths of either Mr. Allen, Mr. Ertz, or Ms. Heath. Tell us what we want to know and we won't pursue that with the state's attorney.

Bob: You know the saying, "You can find anything on the Internet"? That's your best bet to learn anything or stop the killing spree, because you're not getting any answers out of me. Now, if that is all, I shall return to my quarters. Good day.

Bob got up and walked out, leaving the officers a bit flummoxed. On their way back to the Lincoln Park police station, Jay and Hailey bounced ideas off one another on combing the Internet to perhaps get clues or tips concerning the hit list and who might be the next victim. They also wondered if the list was just the ten Driscoll had on paper or could there be more (or another one) elsewhere.

**********

Going off the belief that all five deaths thus far were "hits" and not necessarily accidental or done in self-defense, Hailey spent the remainder of her shift using Google to scour the World Wide Web for any lead of how the attacks were being coordinated given the random settings for them and no figure that linked between the strikes. Going further down the rabbit hole, Officer Upton came upon a women's soccer message board that had as a thread "Draining The Swamp". which had search hits for most of the names on Driscoll's list. Upon reading it, she saw information on who to get, ways to kill the individuals that wouldn't be seen as criminal, and background on the targets that might help the perpetrators. She printed out the entirety of the thread, then checked in with Jay to go over what she found.

Hailey: That list, it's nowhere near as long as what I found elsewhere. There is a whole Internet community whose goal seems to be to eradicate bad relationships which exist in the women's soccer world. I haven't been able to cross-reference some of the targets with others, but the pool of potential victims is bigger than I expected.

The jotted-down list she gave Jay included: Ashlyn Harris; Dansby Swanson; Zola Short; Brian Hollins; Gabriel Farfan; Riley Springs; Aaron Schoenfeld; Pierre Soubrier; Jeff Van Buren; Abby Erceg; Patrick Johnson; Rachel Daly; Dominique Dorris; and Matt Marzahl.

Jay: Well, the five on Driscoll's list are part of this pool. Keep digging, maybe drop a note into the forum, and see what you can get people to tell you.

Hailey returned to her desk, then went about signing up for an account on the forum. Once that was completed, she came across a post which detailed Tobin Heath's allergy and how someone could "accidentally" eliminate her as a result of it. Believing that this might be a smoking gun on how the two-time World Cup champion died, she sought to engage the author (NewKidBro12), but didn't get a response. Nevertheless, she chose to monitor that account for additional information that might be sprayed around, as he seemed to know a lot about the potential victims and methods of assassination.


	6. Family Matters

In the quiet hamlet of Milford, NH, the sixth member of the hit list found his ending, as Riley Springs, former minor league baseball player and husband of Reign FC midfielder Morgan Andrews, had been shot and killed in the home of his brother-in-law, Michael Andrews. The elder Andrews admitted to shooting the victim when he saw Springs attempting to sexually assault his eldest daughter. Both the prosecution and defense stipulated to most of the facts of the case, but Andrews' affirmative defense was being challenged by the district attorney. Prior to closing arguments, the judge met with both lawyers in his chambers and tried to work out a plea deal that each side would be willing to accept.

Judge Carlo Vitucci: Counsel, how do we resolve this case? The fact that the defendant killed the victim is not in dispute, nor the actual manner in which it occurred.

District Attorney Edwin McCann: Mr. Andrews needs to get SOME prison time given the vicious nature in which he went about desecrating the body between the time he contacted 911 and when the ambulance and police arrived on-scene. The guilty plea with an affirmative defense leaves the door open for you to levy no meaningful punishment despite the fact that, in the end, the defendant pumped fifteen bullets into Mr. Springs.

Dwight Hanson: I don't think my client is averse to paying at some level for what transpired, but the actual crime was performed in defense of a third party and as such should not carry the level of punishment the DA is seeking with the second-degree intentional homicide charge. Give us something to work with, Mr. McCann.

DA McCann: Were the defendant a law enforcement officer or a member of the military, we would have been able to argue excessive force for the additional shots he took at the victim. There is no comparable charge for civilians.

Judge Vitucci (to McCann): Counsel, you opened up a line of thinking when you stated that the defendant desecrated the body after killing the victim. If you wish to pursue that point, I'd be willing to let you amend the indictment to include the charge of desecration of a corpse, using the medical examiner's report and testimony already heard to determine the number of counts.

Dwight Hanson: What are the sentencing guidelines for that charge?

Judge Vitucci: I'll have to look, since it's a rarely prosecuted one. The part you and the DA will be debating most likely is concurrent vs. consecutive sentencing, since I don't believe any single charge for desecration carries a penalty longer than twelve months. I'll hear closing arguments from both of you in the morning, at which time we'll take up the possible amendment of charges.

The next day, DA McCann amended the indictment to include twelve counts of desecration of a corpse, reasoning that Riley Springs had been rendered dead by the first three of Andrews' fifteen shots. Closing arguments were heard and, two days later, Judge Vitucci found the defendant guilty of justified involuntary manslaughter and the multiple counts of desecration of a corpse. At sentencing, Judge Vitucci gave Michael Andrews four months for each of the twelve counts, to be served consecutively, meaning he would spend four years in prison for the death of his brother-in-law.

**********

[MrSupremium>: Anyone know what the current relationship situations are for our forum's widows?

[NewKidBro12>: Christen and Julie have been spending time together, picking up the pieces from losing Tobin and Zach. Whether it develops into something or not, I don't know. They're cute together, but I'm thinking Julie isn't necessarily bi and thus should seek out a solid 9-to-5'er.

[GreenBeretMike>: Morgan's going to be out of the pool for a while following the circumstances and murder of Riley.

[NewKidBro12>: Murder? The reports I read said it was "defense of a third party".

[GreenBeretMike>: It was a dead-on hit, and now that it's been adjudicated, I can say that. I had it out for him for a LONG time and was hoping he'd screw up somehow so I could exterminate him. The extra shots, that was overkill, but it felt SO GOOD to empty that magazine into him!

[HoosYourDaddy>: Any news on Morgan Brian?

[ScopingThe312>: To the best of my knowledge, she's been laying low since returning from Tokyo. With preseason now underway, hopefully business on social media will pick up and we'll see if she's found someone from around here or perhaps is biding time with one of the other Red Stars.

[NewKidBro12>: Sooooooo.....who's getting it next?

[DeltaDoctor>: With MLB and NWSL starting next month, I'm guessing people associated with those two entities will be highly targeted.

[HoosYourDaddy>: Delta, think your home club might see something occur?

[DeltaDoctor>: The smart person would try a double hit if they could ever confirm the two Bruin latcher-ons were at a game, like whoever took out Serv and shot up Dom last year.

[RipCityDre>: If the game is against the Thorns, might be able to get three at once.....

[NewKidBro12>: Very interesting......how do you pull off such a multi-person hit?

[DeltaDoctor>: Discuss off-channel?


	7. Broken Glass

Despite the Atlanta Braves' four-game losing streak to start the 2021 Major League Baseball season, there was a handsome crowd at Sports & Social watching the home team's battle against the Milwaukee Brewers. A six-hit complete game by Jimmy Nelson combined with two home runs from Christian Yelich led the 2020 NL Central Division champions to a 7-1 win. Following the game, a handful of players made an appearance at the nearby venue to drink away the three-game sweep and commiserate with the local fandom. While most of them were given respectful space, the team's shortstop was ragged harshly for his 0-for-4 performance and two errors.

Jeremy Grisham: Dansby, when you FINALLY going to start hitting like a threat to get on-base and not as a cheap out before the pitcher's spot comes up?

Dansby Swanson: Not tonight, dill. Don't have the energy to deal with cracks like that.

Jeremy: You ARE weak! Gotta wonder how you have Mal if you're that little of a fighter.

Dansby: Whoa! Criticize my play all you want, but leave my gal out of it.

Jeremy: She must be wondering if you're worth the effort when she's probably got offers from Rose and/or Lindsey to satisfy her whenever she wants.

Dansby's rage got the better of him and he grabbed an empty beer bottle, then cracked it against the edge of the bar and walked the several steps to where that evening's heckler was stationed. Seeing the "tough guy" coming his direction, Jeremy stood up and jockeyed him before seizing Dansby's left arm and holding it behind his back, then used his right hand to take control of his wrist and hold the weapon at arm's length from him.

Jeremy: Seriously.....you're gonna try to glass me? I think NOT! How would this go over on SportsCenter were it known that a member of the Atlanta Braves attempted to kill a fan in a local sports bar because he couldn't take a little jibing over his play, his girlfriend, and who she might be seeing on the side?!

Dansby fought hard to get Jeremy to release his wrist, but was fairly unsuccessful. Jeremy saw Dansby trying to raise the bottle toward his face, but clamped down harder with his grip and was able to keep the jagged edge away from him. In a desperate attempt, Dansby tried to spin and get face-to-face with Jeremy, but was jabbed with the bottle in the neck. Ever resourceful, Jeremy pressed the bottle deeper and then twisted it, breaking off a shard that remained lodged in the now-victim's artery. Dansby dropped to the floor, where several patrons attempted to pack off the wound while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive.

**********

Despite the most valiant of efforts by the paramedics, the rate of blood loss was too great for them to save Dansby Swanson, and he became the seventh name on the "Draining The Swamp" list to die. Once he was taken away to the county morgue, the responding officers questioned several people in the bar, including Jeremy.

Officer Steven Dotson: How did the fight begin?

Jeremy: A few of the Braves came in after tonight's game, Dansby being one of them. He had already had two beers downed and was working on a third when someone chose to give him a little lip over his current play. He flipped the guy off, which led me to say something about his hitting and place in the batting order. He requested I back off as he was not in the mood to be harassed. I mentioned his girlfriend which seemed to steam him a bit. We exchanged a few words, then he broke an empty bottle and came at me with it. I restrained him as best I could so as not to get cut myself, and in the ongoing skirmish, he jerked and got slashed by the jagged edge. As I attempted to get him to drop the weapon so he could be treated, a shard broke off into the wound.

Officer Dotson: Sounds like self-defense. I will forward my report to the DA's office and they will determine whether to proceed with any charges. You are free to go, but I will need your contact information should it be necessary for me to question you again.

Jeremy handed Officer Dotson one of his business cards and then departed from Sports & Social for home.

**********

After review of the evidence and the stories from bar patrons, the Cobb County District Attorney determined that Jeremy Grisham had been partially responsible for the fight with Dansby Swanson and also at fault in some capacity for the wound inflicted on the late Atlanta Brave shortstop. Grisham was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, to which he pled not guilty. A two-day trial resulted in the defendant being found guilty of the charge, after which he was sentenced to two years probation and 75 hours of community service.


	8. Wipeout

Security was extra-high on the grounds of the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, where the wedding of hit list crown jewel Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger was set to take place. Jay Halstead and Hailey Upton from the Chicago Police Department had been flown in by Orlando PD to personally protect Harris before, during, and after the event, while additional members of local law enforcement were on-hand to handle any other trouble that could find its way into this once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. More so, the brides' wedding planner, Tiffany Milstead, had encouraged them to hire security to accompany guests on the shuttles coming from the Hilton Garden Inn to the facility. With their approval, Milstead contracted with a local firm to have three guards available for the day.

As a result of all the visible and undercover peace officers surrounding the grounds and entrance/exit passageways, no one dared attempt to cause a ruckus or execute a plan to kill anyone in attendance. Following a beautiful ceremony and reception, guests began making their way towards the circle path outside the museum to catch rides back to their hotel. Standing together waiting for the next shuttle to arrive were Crystal Dunn, Sam Mewis, Abby Dahlkemper, and their partners. Thomas Rawlins, lead officer from Top Guard Security, gathered them along with a few others and escorted them into the 15-passenger vehicle, then entered himself and took his place in the stairwell at the front.

The shuttle left Vizcaya going north on Shore Drive East, then turned onto Shore Drive West on its route back to the Hilton. As the driver was turning onto Shore Drive South en route to South Miami Avenue and the hotel, Rawlins walked to the back of the shuttle. On his way back to the front, he stopped just before the midpoint of the aisle and shot Pierre Soubrier, Patrick Johnson, and Aaron Schoenfeld from behind. Rawlins continued to the front and, after giving the driver directions to Mercy Hospital, asked to be let out. Once off the shuttle, the assassin walked off into the Miami night and the passengers were taken to the hospital, where the men were pronounced dead on arrival, the victims of single shots to the back of the head.

**********

On Tuesday morning, Thomas Rawlins was arrested by the Orlando Police Department for the murders of Soubrier, Johnson, and Schoenfeld. During questioning, he informed the officers that he had been offered a sizable amount of money to kill the three men by Tiffany Milstead, but was unaware if there were other links in the chain or if the hit was her idea. During negotiations with the district attorney, a plea deal was offered whereby Rawlins would testify against Milstead once she had been arrested and indicted in exchange for 5-year sentences on the murders, to run concurrently.

Over the lunch hour, Tiffany met with Ashlyn and Ali to wrap up loose ends from the wedding and to receive her last payment for services.

Tiffany: Saturday night went extremely well, I think. The extra security I'm sure was a deterrent for those who might have tried to infiltrate the proceedings and bring harm to you or your guests.

Ashlyn: Not exactly. On the way back to the Hilton, three of our guests were killed on their shuttle by the security guard accompanying them, one that you personally hired to protect our loved ones. Care to explain that?

Tiffany: I was contacted by someone related to a former teammate of yours who asked about the guest list and inquired as to the three men who were unceremoniously gunned down. I informed him of their planned attendance, after which he told me that a number of individuals and supporters' groups had committed resources to eliminating them and offered me a very substantial payoff if I could find a means to perform the act successfully. Hence how their guard was able to do the mass execution so easily.

Ashlyn pulled out her cell phone and began dialing the Orlando Police non-emergency number, only to stop when Tiffany pulled a gun out of her briefcase.

Tiffany: You're not going to want to do that. I would hate to have to shoot you in front of your new wife.

Ashlyn put down the phone, at which time two men entered the house through the front door and proceeded to inject Ali with an anesthetic to render her unconscious. Following that, they kidnapped her and departed for the place Tiffany had specified, where they would be met by three others and given their portion of the fee. A few minutes later, after Ashlyn and Tiffany had engaged in a physical altercation, a shot rang out in the house, with the survivor calling 911 to report the incident.


	9. Epilogue

Once Tiffany's henchmen had left, Carm Moscato and Erin Mcleod took Ali Krieger's body into one of the cabin's bedrooms and laid her down, then covered her so she could continue to sleep. Following that, the two women returned to the table in the kitchen where Alyssa Naeher was seated.

Carm: Do we have our story straight for when Ali wakes up?

Erin: We tell her that the three of us were abducted and brought up here, then locked into the cabin. Alyssa, you ready to say your piece when the time comes?

Alyssa: Not sure when I'll do it. After all, we expect Ashlyn to be dead by the time we're able to break out of here on Thursday morning, right? Don't think it would be proper to drop the bomb then or even any time near then.

Carm: Right. I'm so glad we were able to get a lead from Cheney's brother to get in touch with the wedding planner and put forth our plan to free Ali from Ashlyn. Of course, I wish she had listened to reason the last several years and made the decision for herself, but the fear of the unknown, even as she was remaining closeted, kept her from experiencing the possibility of a greater love. Now she can.

A few hours passed before Ali made her return to the land of the living. When she noticed her three former Penn State teammates sitting around, and all unshackled, she was quite confused.

Ali: What are all of you doing here, and where are the guys who kidnapped me?

Erin: We were snagged as well and brought here. As for them, they're nowhere in sight, but we're locked-in, so it's best to just sit back and wait for their return. There is no cell service out here, nor any real means of communication with the outside world.

Ali: Guess I better settle in. I have to say, though, the company on this adventure is quite pleasing.

The three women stood up and group-hugged Ali, then Carm went to the fridge and started preparing dinner for them. Ali went to bed not long after dinner, still feeling the effects of the drugs she was given earlier in the day.

By the time Thursday morning arrived, the four of them had been alone in the cabin for the better part of 44 hours. Ali decided to scout around the cabin to see if there was a way out, which she found in the bathroom. After getting outside, she walked around to the front door and kicked it in. The remainder of the quartet exited and made their way out to the main road, where a Florida state trooper picked them up and took the group back to Ali and Ashlyn's place, which had been surrounded by police tape. Ali was led into the house by the troopers and saw the aftermath of Ashlyn's scuffle with Tiffany, then was informed that her wife had been killed by the other woman. Ali curled up into Carm and wept, while Erin and Alyssa went outside with one of the troopers to give him a full rundown of the "abduction".

**********

Two more deaths came to pass before Officers Halstead and Upton declared the series of hits to have come to an end. On December 16th, Sofia Huerta's longtime boyfriend, Matt Marzahl, was murdered in a gang pummeling outside a music venue in Chicago where he had been taking photos. Lastly, Drew Skundrich, midfielder for the Sacramento Republic and husband of USWNT player Andi Sullivan, died on April 24, 2022 from burns received as a result of accidentally pouring gasoline on a set of lit charcoal embers, believing it was water.

**********

As of January 1, 2025, these are the circumstances of the widows/former girlfriends left behind by the serial killings of Aaron Cheney and his band of Internet vigilantes.

* Alex Morgan remarried in February 2021 and is now the mother of two, giving birth to son Ryan Kenneth Matheson on October 5th, 2022.

* Morgan Brian and Chicago Red Stars teammate Danielle Colaprico got married on November 18, 2023, six years to the day of the former's wedding to Fabrice Gautrat.

* Morgan Reid played the first two-thirds of the 2021 NWSL season for Orlando before hanging up her cleats and going to medical school. She has since been out of the public eye.

* Christen Press and Julie Johnston tied the knot atop Camelback Mountain outside Phoenix on December 31, 2021 and are now the mothers of twins Stacey Elizabeth and Christopher Zachary.

* Morgan Andrews returned to the east coast and played three more seasons in the NWSL with the Philadelphia Lightning before retiring and taking up residence in her native New Hampshire, where she became head women's soccer coach at Dartmouth.

* Mallory Pugh married Rose Lavelle on February 18, 2023. The two now play for Louisville City FC in the NWSL.

* Crystal Dunn left the NWSL after the 2021 season and signed with West Ham United, where she is still under contract.

* Sam Mewis and Abby Dahlkemper brought their 12-year on-again, off-again, on-again relationship to a fitting climax by marrying in front of the Hatch Memorial Shell on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston on April 1, 2023. Abby retired after the 2024 NWSL season and is now expecting the Mewises' first child.

* Sofia Huerta is still playing for the Houston Dash of the NWSL and recently became engaged to former Dash defender Ari Romero.

* Andi Sullivan began dating childhood friend Kevin Grabowski, but broke it off once she learned that he had perpetrated the accidental death of her former husband. She is currently single and still playing for the Sacramento Republic in the NWSL.

* Ali Krieger replaced Erica Dambach as the general manager of the Philadelphia Lightning following the 2022 NWSL season. After hiring Alyssa Naeher to be the team's goalkeeper coach, she proposed to her (with help from the team's head coach, Carm Moscato). The pair exchanged vows in front of the LOVE statue on JFK Plaza on the morning of October 21, 2023, one week after the Lightning won the NWSL championship on their home field, Urban Outfitters Stadium, 2-0 over the Portland Thorns.


End file.
